Hope for Haiti Ebay Auction

There are so many unfair events and situations that happen in this world, some on larger scales than others. I count my blessings every day that I have the things in life that make me happy. So many of the people in Haiti are currently struggling to count their own blessings after the horrific earthquake that destroyed so much of their world. It's important to help our neighbors in this time of need and so I'm auctioning off this large once of a kind figure along with the two children she's holding. The children together hold up a sign that says "hope".

100% of the winning bid will go to the Red Cross Haiti relief effort. If you haven't made a donation or would like to make another donation, think of these cuties as a thank you gift. The people of Haiti would certainly thank you if they could. If you prefer to make a straight donation, please visit the Red Cross website or text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 (most of you already know that...but just in case some of you haven't heard). Thank you so much!

Click here for the Ebay auction

Magpie Ethel Awesomeness!

I am just loving Laurie from Magpie Ethel's fabulous Valentine's Day characters! I bought a couple from her Etsy shop and we also did a swap. I was so excited when I got her package in the mail (she uses the prettiest packing tape) and am continuing to enjoy these cuties now.

This pretty lady has the key to my heart!

Laurie had a bunch of these sweet ornaments, all with different faces. It was hard to choose! But I think I made the right choice. This long locked blondie has an adorable face.

I have her hanging in my Valentine's Day tree.

This pretty lady looks like she staking her claim to the perfect spot for a romantic picnic.

Love the flakey pink ornament.

And Laurie spares no detail! Most of these pretty extras are already hanging on my inspiration board. And those awesome honey comb balls are going to be used in some special project. Thanks Laurie! :)

And I'll leave you with a sneak peek at the piece I'll be auctioning off on Ebay starting tomorrow with all proceeds going to help the people of Haiti. Check back in! :)

Last Batch of Valentine's Day People (and animals!)

I can't believe how fast time flies! That's why I have to reluctantly put away my red and pink ribbons and trim and take out my green and pastel colored ones. Every year I find that all the holidays approach so much more quickly than I expected and I find myself behind and on everything I want to make. So this year I'm staying on top of it!

Soooo...without further adieu, here are the last big batch of Valentine's Day goodies! You'll find most of them in my Etsy shop! :)

Love bears, not love birds.

A trio of sassy gals all after that coveted "Queen of Hearts" title.

Balloons and heart staffs are "in" this season. ;)

Why get a dog when you can have an adorable red lamb to follow you to school one day?

And this sweetie is a true one of kind, swinging happily on a vintage thread ball. Now I'm off to emerge myself in all things Irish and Springy! :)

And check back in next week. I'm making a special one of a kind piece that I'd like to sell with all proceeds going to help the people of Haiti in this incredibly difficult time.

Greeting Cards?

For quite a while now I've had an itch to paint and draw, but just haven't found the time. Way back in the beginning of last summer I wrote this post on some sketches I did for paintings I had planned to execute. Well...I only got as far as painting the first layer of a background. :( Painting takes time and I just didn't have any!

Another problem I always have has to do with greeting cards. I'm not a huge card sender, but I want to be! My problem has to do with being unorganized. Which leads me to another one of my New Year's resolutions. I need to make an address book and put together some stationary so I have everything organized and at the ready. As soon as some special occasion pops up, that card will be out the door in no time flat!

Soooooo, the last two evenings were spent doodling. So far I've come up with these four drawings and I'm just tickled! I bought some nice textured paper at the big art store during my venture out last week that will be perfect to print these on. I have a laser printer, so if they're delivered on a rainy day, the colors won't smudge. And soon I'll make more for other occasions!

What would you think if you got one of these in the mail?

This one is for new babies. And the owl above is for
Valentine's Day...the inside will read, "I do!"

Birthday of course. His flag says "I came for cake!" and
the inside will read, "Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday!"

And this one should be sent to all of you! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking at peek at what's going in my silly world! :) Now I'm off to go put together an address book!

Pile of people!

This is what happens when I watch TV. My end table fills up with naked spun cotton bodies! When Ben and I settle down at night for an evening of cuddling and watching some tube, I can't keep my hands still, so that's when most of my crazy cotton characters start to take shape. Before I know it, I have a huge pile! This is probably about one week's worth. Too much TV watching!

And I just realized that I haven't done any posts on my end table and coffee table. They are shadow box tables made from antique window frames and concrete molds that I found in my dad's barn. The end table is filled with vintage toys and things. I think a post featuring what's in there is due soon! :)

Jewels!

Jewels are what's been on my brain lately! Not real jewels of course...but "new antique" jewelry! Ever since I took Kaari Meng's rosary necklace workshop at Silver Bella I've been dying to make more necklaces and maybe even some earrings! The masterpiece above is what I came home with after Kaari's class. She had the best materials and was so helpful while I was learning...and it was fun! I had made some cheesy hemp jewelry in highschool, but nothing as pretty as this!

So, the other night I went around my studio and gathered up all the materials I could use to make something pretty. I have all different sorts of pearls and buttons and beads...

...I also gathered up all of my adorable little charms. My mom always had the best charms in her own stash and I'm lucky enough to have a few of them now (sssshhh...don't tell her!). I'm officially hooked on vintage charms!

It was fun to see the materials all together in one place and it made me really excited to get started!

I went to the little bead shop on Newbury Street to buy the right pliers (round nosed I think they're called??) and some other supplies. When I got home I wasted no time in getting started! We had guests over, but that didn't stop me! Unfortunately I got off to a questionable start. Turns out I needed to buy brass colored eye pins and chain to really get the look I was after. Sigh...I ordered them online and I'm hoping they'll get here tomorrow!

I guess Great Grandma's czech glass beads will have to wait...

Until then I've been getting inspired by Amy Hanna's fabulous jewelry making book, Rejuvenated Jewels. This bird necklace on the front cover is ultimately divine! Besides all the eye-candy, there are lots of helpful hints inside. I recommend it!


I did actually managed to "make" this necklace. It's super pretty, but also super simple. Just a small chandelier crystal on an old chain! If you've got those two things lying around like I was lucky enough to of had, you've got a brand new necklace in 10 seconds flat! :)

Also while I wait for my supplies I've been admiring the jewelry I currently have in my collection. Lots of vintage pieces and pieces made by artist friends. This old brass rack is the perfect storage place...it's a great display and easy access!

I also have a fairly good collection of vintage brooches (love to wear them!). I keep some of them in my mini claw foot tub.

And the others I keep in my little seashell box. One or two of them just might end up on a new necklace! Stay tuned! :)

First Estate Sale of the Year!

It's been so long since I've been on a true treasure hunt, but yesterday Ben and I finally managed to make it to some estate sales...whoohoo! We didn't find much (we got up late and most of the good stuff was already gone), but we did manage to find a few goodies, including 4 out of 5 of the Dionne Quintuplets. They are porcelain bisque and jointed and are soooo precious! I love their pretty painted eyes.

In the kitchen of one home I opened a drawer to find it full of real silverware with a sign that said "free". I had an enormous handful when Ben came over and reasoned with me. "We have enough!" It was true and I surrendered most of my stash. I did keep all of the butter knives though. Ben has been complaining for years about the rusty handles on the ones we had before.

Sorry rusties...you're going into the mixed media supplies bin. (sniff sniff)

Speaking of rust, I found these two heart shaped pans in the basement of that same house. One is good to go and the other is rather oxidized. I'll see what I can do with some steel wool. Valentine's Day is right around the corner and these two pans just may inspire me to bake!

There were lots of books, but again I had to refrain. I picked up a bunch I won't mind cutting up for crafts. Including a music book, an old spelling book (complete with pencil written notes), a golden book with the back cover ripped off and....

...some sort of old Jewish/Hebrew book! People have been asking me to make Hanukkah ornaments and things for the holidays and this will provide the perfect start!

This cool bottle was the only thing that came home with me from one house. Look at the knobby stopper!

These old baby shoes are for a new idea I have. Stay tuned to see what it is!

An old ladies hat and a bow tie....can't go wrong there!

I've been collecting vintage dresses and with them I'll need vintage belts. This one is perfect!

Sorry for the blur...this what I found in the laundry room. It's a sock/panty hanger thingy. Of course I promptly broke it after I took the photo, so now I plan to snip off the wires, drill holes into a piece of wood, and make a photo clip holder thingy!

It was so refreshing to be searching in old damp basements and in dusty closets for new old treasures! Now I can't wait until next weekend! ;)

Artsy Outing

The day before yesterday I got out of the house for a bit to meet up with some artsy friends. Kerry, Liz, Louise, Betsy, Mimi, and I had great fun and discussed in great detail whatever happened to come up in conversation, and Mimi brought a big box of old buttons to share (she's too kind, really!). Then someone mentioned the thrift store that was down the block and before we knew it, we found ourselves there searching for sweaters and teacups. This particular store is always well picked though, but I managed to find a gorgeous vintage carved wooden corner shelf for $5! Mimi found a nice striped sweater to outfit her dolls along with some teacups to build tiny worlds in, and Liz found a nifty 1960's juice class caddy for a buck or two. Yay!

As usual I didn't snap any photos so I stole the two photos above from Kerry and Mimi...sorry girls!

After we departed I wandered around Cambridge a bit more, hauling my light-weight, but awkwardly-shaped shelf with me. Eventually I stopped in to a huge art store and bought a much needed gallon of glue along with some other things. One of those other things was a huge pack of amazingly colored chenille stems. They were so beautiful and unusual, I was thrilled when I saw them. They have an antiqued pastel quality, much like vintage chenille stems do. I can't wait to use them!


After the craft store I went into the co-op grocery store next door. There were so many wonderful grains and healthy snacks! My mouth was watering. But all I could do was look. I had no free hand to grab something off the shelf! Plus my arms were getting tired. At that point I decided it was time to get on the train and go home. :)